Classic & Sports Car Magazine - December 2024

In this issue

Best of British: AC Ace, Aston Martin DB5, Austin-Healey 3000, Bristol 405, Jaguar XK and Triumph TR5 face off in our straight-six showdown.

American hustle: The dawn of the muscle-car era recalled as the pioneering Pontiac GTO marks its 60th.

Pride of Turin: Saloon, Coupé, Spider and camper versions of Fiat’s enduring and endearing 850 range.

DESIGNS ON THE ISLE

The legendary stylist of the McLaren F1, Lotus Elan M100 and more brings his unique perspective to the annual Malta Classic

4 mins

MOTORING FOR MOVEMBER

More than 5000 enthusiasts from the UK, Japan, Portugal, Costa Rica, Turkey and elsewhere took part in the fourth running of The Distinguished Gentleman's Drive on 29 September.

1 min

Ferrari beauty lands Varignana victory

A 1966 Ferrari 275GTB was awarded Best of Show at the second Concorso d'Eleganza Varignana 1705, which took place from 27-29 September.

1 min

Bugs pour over the Pyrenees

Club Bugatti France hosted a 500-mile road trip from Toulouse, France, to Zaragoza in Spain from 3-7 October.

1 min

Diverse displays at Bicester

The final Scramble of 2024 took place at Bicester Heritage in Oxfordshire on 6 October.

1 min

HCVA notes future threats

Difficulties insuring electric-converted cars, meeting net-zero emissions targets and repairing old electronics were the three future threats identified by the Historic & Classic Vehicles Alliance on 3 October - but not without a message of opportunity.

1 min

Supercars descend on southern Italy

From Paganis and Koenigseggs to Porsches and Ferraris, 50 supercars took to the roads of southern Italy from 12-15 September to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Supercar Owners' Circle.

1 min

Eclectic parade for Chattanooga's fifth motorfest

A 1935 SS1, built by Jaguar founder William Lyons' firm SS Cars, won Best in Show at the Chattanooga Motorcar Festival in Tennessee, USA, from 11-13 October.

1 min

Historic French speedbowl hits 100 not out

More than 15,000 spectators descended on UTAC Linas-Montlhéry Autodrome to mark the historic track's 100th anniversary with a programme of eight parade grids on 12-13 October.

1 min

Allcomers welcomed at Gaydon

The all-inclusive celebration of everyday classic motoring returned to the British Motor Museum on 28 September, as the second Rustival filled the car park with its eclectic mix of classics.

1 min

Rare Maserati wins Audrain

The Breakers mansion in Newport, Rhode Island - the former home of the Vanderbilt family-hosted the fifth Audrain Newport Concours d'Elegance on 6 October, with a sensational one-off 1959 Maserati 3500GT Coupé by Bertone (left) winning Best of Show.

1 min

BATTLES AT WET ESTORIL

A 260-strong paddock of historic racing cars entertained 35,000 at Peter Auto's Estoril Classics from 4-6 October, in southern Portugal.

1 min

Twice the action for Castle Combe

The Autumn Classic at Castle Combe returned to its two-day format on 21-22 September, with Gary Pearson and Christian Albrec (Jaguar D-type, right) winning the opening race, Ecurie Jaguar.

1 min

Winners double up at Norfolk spectacular

Equipe Classic Racing headed to Snetterton on 21-22 September where, despite fluffing the start, Equipe Libre polesitter Tom Smith fought back in his Lotus Elan 26R to win by an impressive 27.8 secs.

1 min

Twice the action for Castle Combe

The Autumn Classic at Castle Combe returned to its two-day format on 21-22 September, with Gary Pearson and Christian Albrec (Jaguar D-type, right) winning the opening race, Ecurie Jaguar.

1 min

Varied selection lights up Northamptonshire

The Historic Sports Car Club's Silverstone Finals weekend, on 12-13 October, brought a packed programme to the famous circuit.

1 min

Corsica hosts historic rally heroes

There were first-time winners on the 24th Tour de Corse Historique from 5-12 October.

1 min

UNUSUAL AUTHIS ARE UP FOR SALE

In his book The cars of BMC, Graham Robson wrote: 'In the mid-1960s, BMC decided the only way to break into the Spanish market (whose import tariffs were already very high) was to build the cars locally.

4 mins

RARE ALFA CABRIO UNEARTHED

Until 1950, Alfa Romeos tended to be limited-production, handbuilt machines manufactured to the tune of around 800 cars a year.

1 min

POWER AND BEAUTY

Thank you for covering 275 Ferraris in the October issue. I have owned a right-hand-drive 275GTS for the past 20 years, and during my tenure I've covered 24,000 miles including two trips over the Alps to the Maranello factory.

1 min

Brits with SIX appeal

The straight-six engine is synonymous with a decades-long legacy of great British sports cars. Six variations on the sextet theme convene for comparison

10+ mins

A NEW BREED OF HERO

Launched at the turn of the millennium, the GT3 badge has already earned a place alongside RS, CS and turbo in Porsche lore.

10 mins

One for the kids

General Motors was aiming squarely at the youth market with the launch of the Pontiac GTO 60 years ago, and its runaway success popularised the muscle-car movement

8 mins

Still going strong

Herbert Engineering staked its reputation on the five-year warranty that came with its cars. A century on, this Two Litre hasn't made a claim

9 mins

"I had a habit of grabbing second place from the jaws of victory"

From dreams of yachting glory to the Le Mans podium, via a stint at the top of the motorsport tree, Howden Ganley had quite the career

8 mins

A SENSIBLE SUPERCAR

The cleverly conceived four-seater Elite secured Lotus a place at the big players' table, but has it been unfairly maligned since then?

9 mins

PLASTIC BREAKS FROM THE NORM

Glassfibre revolutionised niche car-body production, but just occasionally strayed into the mainstream.

9 mins

People's choice

The diminutive but multi-million-selling Fiat 850 packed a remarkable diversity of form and function into its compact footprint

10 mins

SHORT BACK & GLIDES

Eccentric enthusiast Captain RG McLeod's series of Manx-tailed Bentley Specials reached its zenith with this unique S2 Continental.

7 mins

RAY HILLIER

Double-chevron oddity proves a break from the norm for this Crewe specialist

3 mins

Read all stories from Classic & Sports Car

Classic & Sports Car Magazine Description:

Classic & Sports Car Magazine is a monthly British automobile magazine published by Haymarket Media Group. It was first published in April 1982 and concerns itself with classic cars as well as the people involved in their design and subsequent use, including in period motorsport.

The magazine covers a wide range of topics, including news, features, interviews, and buying guides. It also has a strong historical focus, with regular features on the history of classic cars.

Classic & Sports Car Magazine is a popular read for many classic car enthusiasts, and is known for its in-depth coverage and expert analysis. It is also a good source of information for those new to the hobby.

Here are some of the things you can expect from Classic & Sports Car Magazine:

* In-depth coverage of classic car news and events
* Interviews with collectors, restorers, and other figures from the classic car world
* Features on the latest trends in classic car restoration and collecting
* Buying guides for classic cars

If you're looking for a magazine that will keep you up-to-date on the latest classic car news and trends, then Classic & Sports Car Magazine is a good choice. Subscribe today and start enjoying the news, features, and buying guides!